


Black Pen Sessions

by ChloboShoka



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alcoholic Harry Potter, Alcoholism, Divorced Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley, London, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Poetry, Post-Hogwarts, Writer Draco Malfoy, Writing groups, writing clubs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23064322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChloboShoka/pseuds/ChloboShoka
Summary: Harry is in a dark place. Going through a divorce, he turns to alcohol. One day in a bar, Draco Malfoy reaches out to him and invites him to a writing club. Over the course of the writing club, they start to get close.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter: boy who lived grew up to be the man who drank. The reflection in his whisky glass showed a pale man with nothing. His hands felt lighter without the wedding ring. The drink was never there long enough to weigh his wrists down. The bitterness burned his throat. For a few moments he felt invincible. 

"I'm only human after all," Harry said twirling the empty glass as he looked up to the bartender. "I'll have another one please."

Harry was always frisky with whisky and near a beer. His accomplishments at school were faded memories to him. With the alcohol, he had a crutch and he was in his own little world where nobody would take him out off.

He'd been homeless for months: walked out on his family. The demons in his head were too great. The headaches and aspiration was unbearable. Panic attacks had kept the family awake. One day he lashed out, he didn't mean to. Ginny spent a few days in hospital. Ron punched Harry in the face. He deserved it. They were good to him, he didn't deserve them.

He couldn't stay. He had to go.

He walked out on his aunt and uncle once before. It was different back then he had Hogwarts to go back to. The only places he could call a home now was a bar and a hotel room. Some days he wished he was a kid again.

Harry took his drink outside. The air of Camden Town and it's markets welcomed him. It didn't feel like England with its vibrant shops and street food from all over the world. A part of it reminded him of Diagon Alley where he used to get his school supplies.

The rain poured so he went back to his seat in the bar. The floor was sticky and dirty.The bartender advised Harry that he wouldn't give him anymore alcohol. He nodded, wanting to make sure his drink lasted.

"A bit dark in here isn't it, Potter?" said a voice behind him.

Harry turned around. "Malfoy?" Harry’s heart jumped. He had no he didn’t notice him when he went outside. 

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?"

Harry shook his head.

"You won't mind if I join you."Draco pulled the stool out.

"Actually..." Harry murmured just as Draco was about to sit down. He watched Draco hover board over his seat. He shook his head.

"What's up?" Draco tilted his head.

"Go ahead."

Draco sat down and squinted. "Damn it, Potter: you stink."

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Thanks. You said a million times in fourth year."

The bartender leaned across Draco. "Can I get you anything?"

"I'll have a matcha latte please."

"Sure!"

Harry thought his eyes were about to pop out. "I can't believe you're not ordering alcohol."

"Well I like to try new things once in a while."

"I never thought I'd see the day."

"Here you are!" The bartender gave Draco a green cup with green liquid with a white heart on it. "That will be £3 please."

Draco got his phone out to pay. "Cheaper than Starbucks. Also it's amazing what you can do with your phone nowadays."

The bartender nodded. "It's nicer here too. Enjoy."

"You know what, Malfoy?”

Draco lifted his cup. "Yes?”

"I think this is the first time I've ever seen you smile."

Draco smirked, wiping froth of his chin. "Come on, Potter, I know Hogwarts was tough, but I wasn't that miserable." He placed his cup down. "Okay, maybe I was. But so we're you. And you're looking pretty miserable now."

Harry waved his hands in the air, leaning against the cobbled wall. "Malfoy, I am perfectly fine..."

"I heard about it," Draco said.

"About what?"

Draco took Harry's glass and downed it on his behalf. "The divorce."

Harry clenched his fists and glared at Draco. "It has nothing to do with you."

"Our sons are best friends. Scorpius is worried about Albus. Whatever worries Scorpius, worries me too."

Harry stood up. "And your point?"

"First, you're being a twat..." Draco rapper Harry's shoulder and helped him back on his seat. "It has everything to do with me."

"You don't understand," Harry snapped, leaning his head on the bar.

"I do. I was like this when my wife died. It broke me. Scorpius is the one thing that keeps me going. He's the best thing that ever happened to me. He helped me realize that you and I are two sides of the same coin."

"Why does everyone I love either die or get hurt? I bet you love it when I'm like this!"

"Actually... I hate it."

Harry moved his whole body towards Draco and gulped."You're full of surprises."

"Anyway I'm a part of this club. It's a writing club I go to once a week upstairs. The club is run by a muggle but it's really good. Helped me clear my mind. I think it will help you too. It's on tonight at seven if you want to come. It would be good to have a familiar face."

Harry sulked in silence. He couldn't believe Draco Malfoy was inviting him to a writer's group. He was certain the whisky was playing tricks with his mind.

"I know you might not listen to me," Draco said, finishing up his matcha latte. "But if Granger was here, she'd tell you the same thing." Draco gave his empty cup to the bartender. "It would be good if you come. Anyway, I need to go. Hopefully see you, Harry."


	2. Chapter 2

The last few hours seemed to fly by. Harry lost track of the time. He saw a few people going upstairs with their notebooks. It made Harry think that the pub had been invaded by an army of Hermione Grangers. Amongst them was Draco, who glanced at Harry as he made his way up the stairs.

Harry followed them up the stairs with apples and pears painted on them. By the time Harry had reached the top, he covered his nose to the overpowering smell of lavenders. The door had **writing room** in gold letters.

Somebody had scratched a curved line about the r to make it look like it said writing doom. 

Harry's cold hands pressed against the even colder handle. When he opened the door he saw a round table covered in fairy lights. Snacks and teapots piled up in the middle of the room. He looked around the room and saw many of the chairs filled.

Draco moved his bag from the empty chair. Harry took the seat.

"Hello... I'm Harry!"

He sat down with his hands in his lap. On one half of the room, there were older people and the on Draco's side of the room there was some folk around their age with some that looked like they had just finished school. All of them were quick to welcome Harry into the group. Harry had estimated that there was at least twenty of them. 

"Pleased to meet you," the lady at the back came to shake his hand. Her blonde curls waved all over the place. "I am Lottie. I run the group. We have only three rules; enjoy, don't be a dick and have fun." 

Harry was overwhelmed by her strong perfume. Her pink fluffy cardigan reminded him of a school teacher he would rather forget. "Thank you, Lottie." 

"How did you find out about us?" 

"Oh..."

Before Harry could speak, Draco butted in. "I invited him. We went to school together." 

"So what sort of writing do you do?" Lottie asked. 

"Office work," Harry lied. Draco bit his lip and shook his head. He knew that Harry was telling porkie pies. He hadn't been working in ages. "I've never really done creative writing before." 

"We were all new once," Lottie said with a warm smile. "I hope we can inspire you." 

Lottie went on to chat to some of the other writers as Harry got a cake from the plate. 

"You know what," Draco said to him. "You're a terrible liar." 

"It takes one to know one I guess." Harry bit into the cake. "So what happens in this writing group?" 

"We read our work out, give feedback and share ideas and tips for what we can write. Sometimes we enter competitions and put work out in anthologies. It's pretty cool." 

Lottie started the session with loud enthusiasm. Everyone went around the table and introduced themselves. Harry was sure that he wasn't going to remember all their names, but a lot of the faces stood out. It took Harry back to his days from school; there were some good times. 

"So has anybody got something they would like to read out?" Lottie asked. 

"I'll go!" Draco raised his hand. 

"What are you reading for us?" 

Draco smirked. "It's a short story about a couple who struggle to get their feelings out."

Harry hid his shaking hands by placing them under the table. He was dying for a drink, and not the teas and coffees laid out on the table. The story Draco readout had hit a little close to home. He saw some people closing their eyes as they listened whilst Lottie took notes. 

Harry jolted upon his seat when he realised the couple in the story were actually two men. Shuichi sounded so much like a girl's name. He was even wearing a dress. Harry squinted when he listened to Eiri's physical appearance- tall, blonde and sullen. 

It sounded a lot like the person sitting next to him. 

Everyone clapped their hands once Draco finished the story. Harry clapped along with them, he felt rude not to. 

Lottie slammed her notebook. Harry got an instant flashback of Hermione. "Thank you for that thrilling story, Draco. Has anybody got any comments? Guem-ja?"

Guem-ja, a lady sitting opposite her leaned over towards the table in excitement. "I thought it was a beautiful and endearing story. I'm so glad that Shuichi and Eiri made up." 

"Thank you," Draco said to her. "You're very kind." 

"Anyone else?" Lottie asked, steering her head around the room. 

"Yeah," Harry said. "It took me...quite a while to figure out that Shuichi was a man." 

Draco laughed. "To be honest Shuichi can't tell whether he's a man, a woman or a toaster." 

"Have you ever watched Gravitation?" Guem-ja asked Harry. 

He shook his head. "I've never heard of it." 

"It's a Japanese anime show. It was popular in Korea once. Draco's story is a fanfic about that anime." 

Harry nodded. "That explains why I've never heard of it." 

"Shuichi is quite feminine," Lottie explained. "You should watch it, it's very good." 

The rest of the people in the group also praised Draco's story, from his use of works to the setting and atmosphere. Whilst listening Harry got goosebumps. He couldn't believe that Draco could write something like that. 


End file.
